Mike Candrea

Mike Candrea

Sport(s)	Softball
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Arizona
Conference	Pac-12
Biographical details
Born	(1955-08-29) August 29, 1955 New Orleans, Louisiana
Alma mater	Central Arizona College Arizona State University
Playing career
Baseball
1973–1974	Central Arizona
Position(s)	Second baseman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Baseball
1976–1980	Central Arizona (asst.)
Softball
1981–1985	Central Arizona
1986–present	Arizona
Head coaching record
Overall	Junior college: 185–69 (.728) NCAA: 1,563–404–2 (.794)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
8× Women's College World Series (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2007) 11× Pac-12/10 Regular Season (1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2017)
Awards
4× Speedline/NFCA Division I (1994, 1996, 1997, 2007) 3× National Coach of the Year (1994, 1996, 1997) 12× Pac-12/10 (1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2017) NFCA West Region (2017) 3x Pacific Region Coach of the Year (1994, 1995, 1997) Northwest Region Coach of the Year (1988) CAC Hall of Fame (2009) USA National Softball Hall of Fame (2017)[1] National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1996)[2] Arizona Softball Foundation Hall of Fame (2009) [3] Pima County Sports Hall of Fame (1998) [4]
Records
2nd on List of college softball coaches with 1,000 wins
Medal record Head Coach for Women's Softball Representing the  United States Olympic Games 2004 Athens Team competition 2008 Beijing Team competition Head Coach for ISF Women's World Championship 2002 Saskatoon 2006 Beijing Head Coach for World Cup of Softball 2005 Oklahoma City 2006 Oklahoma City 2007 Oklahoma City Head Coach for Softball at the Pan American Games 2003 Santo Domingo 2007 Rio de Janeiro

John Michael Candrea (born August 29, 1955)^[5] is the head softball coach at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. He was the head coach of the United States women's national softball team in 2004, when Team USA won a gold medal, and in 2008, bringing home silver.

Education and career beginnings

Born in New Orleans, Candrea moved with his family to Phoenix at age seven.^[6] He graduated from Sunnyslope High School and later earned an associate degree at Central Arizona College in 1975, a bachelor's degree at Arizona State University in 1978, and a master's degree from Arizona State in 1980.^[7][8]

Candrea was an assistant baseball coach at Central Arizona from 1976 to 1980 and a softball coach from 1981 through 1985.^[7]

University of Arizona

Under Candrea, the Arizona softball team has become one of the top programs in the United States and a perennial powerhouse in the NCAA. Candrea has coached at Arizona since 1986, where he has garnered 15030 NCAA wins,^[7] along with eleven Pac-10 Conference titles. Candrea also has ten Pac-10 coach of the year awards. The Arizona softball team has won eight Women's College World Series titles, in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, and 2007, all under Candrea.^[7] The team appeared in the NCAA Women's College World Series 16 consecutive years, from 1988 to 2003, and again from 2005 to 2010—22 appearances, all coming in the last 23 seasons. In addition, UA has appeared in 12 WCWS title games, including eight consecutive appearances, from 1991 and 1998. UA has most recently appeared in the 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2010 WCWS games. Under Candrea at UA, the number of WCWS appearances is second only to UCLA.

On March 26 he became the second coach in NCAA division 1 with 1,500 wins the fastest to ever do so.^[9] His 8 national title victories is the most for all coaches in Division 1.

Head coaching record

The following lists Candrea's record as a head coach at the NCAA level.^[10]

Team USA

Team USA won its third consecutive gold medal at the Athens Olympic Games. In addition, Candrea led the national team to two consecutive World Cup championships, most recently in 2007.

Personal life

Candrea was married to Sue Ellen Hudson for 28 years until her death in July 2004, 10 days before the Olympic Games.^[7] Candrea has two children from this marriage.^[7]

In 2006, Candrea married Tina Tilton.^[7]

See also

• List of college softball coaches with 1,000 wins
• National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame

References

External links

• Official website
• Arizona profile